“It was an honor to represent our state amongst some of the best in the country. I was humbled and had the opportunity to learn for three days from the best in the field.””

Stephanie Cleveland

On Wednesday, June 26th Belmont’s volleyball coach, Stephanie Cleveland was named a 2024 National Coach of the Year Finalist.

Cleveland was amongst eight of the nations top volleyball coaches.

In November of 2023, the Belmont alumni received the nomination. Then in February, received word she was one of the finalist.

Cleveland has developed a great program at Belmont High School.

In her first three years as a head coach, her win loss record was 39-34.

Impressively, her last five years has been 121-30 including state tournament appearances all five years, 2 state championships, and one state runner up.

Not only has Cleveland developed a top program in Mississippi, she has started a club or travel program in north Mississippi/Alabama called Next Generation.

Coach Cleveland along with other top high school coaches from across the state has increased the level of play and competition for volleyball.

The National Coach of the Year ceremony was held at the Bismarck Hotel and Convention center in Bismarck, North Dakota.

The National High School Athletics Coaches Association was the hosted 152 coaches from 19 different sports.

Each sport category had eight finalists.

Out of the 152 coaches, five of those coaches had less than ten years experience. Stephanie Cleveland was one of the five.

While at the conference, Coach Cleveland had the opportunity to teach her own session on culture and mindset to the North Dakota High School Coaches.

Mississippi was well represented at the conference with eleven coaches in attendance. Some of those coaches were Coach Chris Chambless from West Point representing football, Coach Katie Hobson from Ripley representing basketball, Coach Jessica Taylor from Booneville representing Softball, and Coach Louie Nash from Oxford representing Tennis.

Coach Nash brought home the National Coach of the Year award for Tennis. He had been a finalist five times and had over twenty state championships.

When asked about the conference, Cleveland stated, “It was an honor to represent our state amongst some of the best in the country. I was humbled and had the opportunity to learn for three days from the best in the field.”

The other coaches in her division were from Louisiana, Florida, Michigan, Nebraska and Iowa.

The recipient of this year’s award went to Coach Iona Stookey from Montana. Coach Stookey has been a five time finalist for the NCOTY award, been coaching for 33 years, has obtained 14 State Championships, and produced over 50 collegiate athletes.

“I cannot describe the amount of knowledge and hard work represented throughout the conference. I can only thank the Lord for the opportunity to coach this great sport with amazing athletes.”

Mississippi’s representative, Coach Bubba Davis said, “As long as she (Cleveland) keeps winning, she will be back.”

Coach Cleveland contributes much of her personal and team success to her assistant Coach Anna Brooke Wooten and her mentor Coach Andy Deaton.

She says she would not be the coach she is today without the guidance and support of those two. She also states how blessed she is to have such a great community behind her and her teams, as well as her administration.

Attending the ceremony alongside Coach Cleveland were her family and principal. She looks forward to hopefully being back there again someday.